With obesity at 18.8% of the population and health care costs, Hungary has just implemented a ten forint (about $.50 tax) on fatty and sugary foods to cover health costs. So what exactly are Hungarians hungry for?

The dobostorta cake, a five-layer vanilla and chocolate buttercream dessert with a caramel-glazed top layer, is probably Hungary's best-known treat -- at least after goulash. The cake can be seen in the vitrines of coffee houses and bakery shops lining the streets of Budapest.

"Hungarians are really into desserts," said Carolyn Banfalvi, co-founder of Taste Hungary. The tour company operator describes Hungarian food in general as "very fatty," with traditional cooking ingredients that include pork and goose fat. "What they call bacon here is often pieces of pure lard," she said.

The Hungarian government argues that this kind of diet is also leading to obesity and increased health problems, and that those who partake in indulgences like sweets should also pay a premium to help offset those costs. Enter the "fat tax."

Other European nations are considering the same, despite the suggestion that education and/or subsidies for healthy fruits and veggies would be more effective. With about two-thirds of Americans being overweight or obese, should the United States follow suit?

It's one thing to try to discourage people from eating unhealthy food - they also have to then provide an alternative in the same price range. If you only have X amount of money to live on, raising the price of food is not going to make your nutrition any better - now not only are you eating crap, but you're not eating enough of anything. If governments feel they have to do something, they should be encouraging healthy foods, making them more affordable for everyone. Healthy food should not be something you have to be rich to have on a regular basis.

@K Lawrence, that's a bit of an oversimplification. Carbohydrates, which the body converts to glucose, is the primary source of energy utylised by the central nervous system for brain and nerve function. If carbs aren't available, the body can use fats or proteins for this purpose though.